CO2 conversion to O-2 by chemical lung in the presence of potassium superoxide in the silicone polymer matrix

Abstract

This study demonstrates the use of a chemical lung consisting of potassium superoxide and silicone polymer to convert carbon dioxide in air to oxygen. In order to reduce its extremely high reactivity, potassium superoxide was combined at various ratios with polysiloxane. Silicone polymer served as both water repellant and the polymer matrix. In general, the amount of carbon dioxide converted increased as the proportion of potassium superoxide in chemical lung increased. The small surface area of chemical lung and rapid reaction rate illuminated that CO2 conversion in the presence of chemical lung was predominantly by reaction between CO2 and potassium superoxide. FTIR spectroscopy revealed that the Si-O bond in potassium superoxide containing chemical lung appeared at 1,050 cm(-1) and absorbance of chemical lung containing higher amounts of silicone was higher than that of chemical lung containing lower amounts.